Sheriff Scott Israel: Lawbreaker Or Law-Abiding?

Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel was removed from office by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in January 2019, over a year after the Parkland school shooting that left 17 people dead. DeSantis cited the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission Report, which found failures in training, attention to resources, and coordination with other agencies, as well as a lack of follow-up on the assailant's mental health issues. Israel challenged his suspension in court, arguing that DeSantis overstepped his gubernatorial powers. While a Special Master appointed by the Florida Senate recommended Israel's reinstatement, the Senate ultimately voted to uphold the suspension. Israel's removal and subsequent attempts to regain his position sparked debate, with critics accusing him of cowardice and missing warning signs, while others defended his leadership and attributed failures to individual deputies.

Scott Israel's suspension by Ron DeSantis

On January 11, 2019, three days after being sworn into office, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis suspended Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel over his department's handling of the Parkland school shooting. DeSantis issued an executive order, alleging that certain actions by Israel "constituted neglect of duty and incompetence." The Marjory Stoneman Douglas Public Safety Commission Report, released on January 2, 2019, and an internal investigation into the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport shooting supported these grounds. DeSantis claimed that Israel “egregiously failed in his duties as Sheriff" by not providing frequent training for his deputies and not implementing proper protocols for emergency services and unified command centers.

Israel vowed to fight his suspension, claiming it was politically motivated and that there was "no wrongdoing" on his part. He appealed to the Florida Senate, which appointed J. Dudley Goodlette, a former member of the Florida House of Representatives, to serve as Special Master and hear testimony and evidence regarding the suspension. Goodlette conducted a trial and issued a report in September 2019, finding that Israel's removal by the governor had been improper and recommending his reinstatement. However, in October 2019, the Florida Senate, which was controlled by Republicans while Israel was a Democrat, voted to confirm Israel's suspension.

Israel's suspension by DeSantis was controversial and sparked debate. Israel had been a target of conservatives and the National Rifle Association (NRA) due to his vocal criticism of the NRA and his support for gun control. Some, including Israel himself, argued that his suspension was politically motivated. On the other hand, families of the Parkland shooting victims supported DeSantis's decision, and the NRA had criticized Israel's leadership following the shooting.

Following his suspension, Israel attempted to regain his position in the 2020 Democratic Party primary but was defeated by DeSantis's appointee, Gregory Tony. Israel then took on a role at the Davie Police Department before becoming the Police Chief of Opa-Locka in 2022, from which he resigned in 2023.

Israel's response to the Parkland school shooting

On February 14, 2018, a mass shooting occurred at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, when 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz opened fire on students and staff, killing 17 people and injuring 17 others. The Broward County Sheriff's Office, led by Sheriff Scott Israel, faced intense scrutiny and criticism for its handling of the incident.

In the aftermath of the shooting, Sheriff Israel's department and deputies were criticized for their response and perceived failures. The main points of contention included:

• Inaction of the Armed Deputy: A 32-year veteran armed sheriff's deputy, Scot Peterson, arrived at the school within two minutes of the start of the shooting but did not enter the building. Instead, he retreated to another building and hid for 48 minutes, even instructing other deputies to stay at a distance from the building. Israel criticized Peterson, stating that he should have confronted the shooter. Peterson resigned after the incident, and Israel initiated termination proceedings against him.
• Failure to Engage the Shooter: In addition to Peterson, it was discovered that at least two other deputies may have arrived at the scene but also did not enter the building. Coral Springs police officers who arrived were surprised to find that the Broward County deputies had not entered. This led to disciplinary action and investigations into the inaction of multiple deputies.
• Missed Warning Signs: Sheriff Israel's office received multiple warnings about Cruz in the years leading up to the shooting. There were as many as 45 calls related to Cruz, his brother, or their family home. Some of these calls included tips about Cruz's potential to become a school shooter and his access to weapons. However, these warnings were not adequately addressed, and Cruz was able to legally purchase the firearm used in the shooting.
• Policy Change on Active Shooters: Israel faced scrutiny for changing the critical sentence in the sheriff's policy on active shooters. He modified the sentence from "shall go in after the shooter" to "may go in after the shooter." This change was viewed as potentially contributing to the deputies' inaction during the shooting.

As a result of the criticism and investigations, Sheriff Scott Israel was removed from his position by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in January 2019. Israel appealed his removal, and a Special Master found that his removal was improper and recommended reinstatement. However, the Florida Senate voted to uphold the suspension in October 2019.

Israel's views on gun control

Scott Israel, the former Broward County Sheriff, has been an outspoken advocate for more gun control measures. He has opposed open-carry licenses and concealed weapons permits. Israel has also called for a ban on assault rifles and for people with mental illnesses not to have access to firearms. He has criticised the National Rifle Association (NRA) and what he considers to be lax gun laws.

In the aftermath of the Parkland high school shooting, Israel came under scrutiny for his department's failure to act on warning signs about the shooter, Nikolas Cruz. Israel defended his department, noting that many of the calls or his officer's inquiries did not lead to enough evidence to allow any legal arrests or detentions.

Israel has also been criticised for the actions of his deputies during the shooting. A 32-year veteran armed sheriff's deputy, Scot Peterson, arrived at the school within two minutes of the start of the shooting but did not enter the building. Israel criticised the deputy, saying that he should have "went in, addressed the killer, killed the killer". It was later discovered that there may have been at least two other deputies who also did not enter the building.

Israel's lawsuit against DeSantis

Scott Israel, the former Broward County Sheriff, filed a lawsuit against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, challenging his removal from office via an executive order. DeSantis removed Israel from his position due to his handling of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, which left 17 people dead and 17 others injured.

The outcome of the lawsuit is not clear, but Israel later tried to win back his old job in an election and lost to DeSantis' appointee, Gregory Tony.

In June 2023, Israel announced his resignation as Opa-locka's police chief, a position he took after his removal from office by DeSantis. Israel cited spending more time with his family as the reason for his resignation and stated that he was open to future "opportunities".

Israel's career in law enforcement

Scott Israel is an American law enforcement officer in Florida. He has held several leadership positions in his career, including:

Fort Lauderdale Police Department (1979-2004)

Israel began his career in law enforcement as a patrol officer with the Fort Lauderdale Police Department in 1979. During his 25 years with the department, he worked undercover in narcotics and served as a SWAT team commander. He retired from the department in 2004 with the rank of captain.

North Bay Village Chief of Police (2004-2008)

From 2004 to 2008, Israel served as the chief of police in North Bay Village, Florida. During his tenure, he was named Police Chief of the Year in Miami-Dade County. He resigned from this position in 2008 to run for Sheriff as the Democratic nominee but was narrowly defeated.

Broward County Sheriff (2013-2019)

In 2012, Israel was elected Broward County Sheriff, defeating the incumbent sheriff. He was the first Jewish sheriff in Broward County history and the second in Florida. During his tenure, he implemented several initiatives, including the use of body cameras for deputies and an expansion of juvenile civil citations. He was re-elected in 2016 with 72% of the vote, the largest electoral win for a Broward County Sheriff in 80 years.

However, Israel's tenure as Broward County Sheriff was also marked by controversy, particularly following the Parkland high school shooting in February 2018. He was criticised for the actions of his deputies and his department's failure to act on warning signs about the shooter. In January 2019, he was suspended by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and later voted out of office by the Florida Senate, despite a report finding his removal improper.

Davie Police Department (2020-2021)

After his removal from the Broward County Sheriff's Office, Israel briefly worked at the Davie Police Department, overseeing the review of red light camera violations.

Opa-locka Police Chief (2022-2023)

In June 2022, Israel became the Police Chief of Opa-locka, Florida, but he resigned from this position in June 2023, citing a desire to spend more time with his family and pursue new opportunities.

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